Toronto Blue Jays: 3 players to target in free agency

2. James Paxton

If you could point to one person and say ‘There. Right there. That’s the opposite of Trevor Bauer,’ you’d probably be pointing at James Paxton.

Stoic, serious and focused, the native of Ladner, B.C. enjoyed six solid seasons with the Seattle Mariners before being traded to the New York Yankees ahead of the 2019 season.

Big Maple pitched to a 15-6 record in his first year with the Yanks, but struggled in 2020, going 1-1 through five starts with an inflated ERA above six before being shut down with a flexor strain.

If the Blue Jays are to go after Paxton, it won’t be their first time. The Jays drafted the six-foot-four southpaw in the first round of the 2009 Amateur Draft, only to see him not sign.

Paxton is also comfortable on the Rogers Centre mound. He had what is thus far his career-defining moment under the CN Tower in 2018, when he no-hit the Blue Jays on just 99 pitches.

With the Yankees possibly ready to move on from Paxton, maybe it’s time for him to trade that bald eagle on his jersey for a Blue Jay.